San Diego-based Dr. Seuss Enterprises has inked a new deal with Amazon podcast studio Wondery to develop a first-ever slate of original podcasts inspired by the late author’s iconic picture books. 

Wondery will launch the first title, The Cat in the Hat Cast, on September 18 via its mobile app and the Apple Podcasts’ Wondery Kids+ channel. Aimed at kids ages three and up, this variety-show podcast sees the Cat in the Hat and his nervous co-star Fish teaching wordplay to kids through a mix of sing-a-longs and tongue twisters. New episodes will launch weekly. 

Dr. Seuss Enterprises was looking for an opportunity to jump into the podcast market after seeing a rise in audio consumption during the pandemic, said president and CEO Susan Brandt in a release. Last year, this market generated US$20.14 billion in revenue, and that take is expected to grow by 26.5% year over year and hit US$66.24 billion by 2027, according to a report published by Dublin-based Research and Markets in March. 

The new partners plan to announce additional kids podcasts from their slate in the coming weeks. Since launching in 2016, Wondery has produced and launched series including the musical adventure Melon’s House Party (34 episodes), historical show Whose Amazing Life? (62 episodes) and fantasy podcast Little Stories Everywhere (140 episodes).

Several other kids podcasts deals have been announced this month, with Are You Afraid of the Dark? The Official Podcast (Nickelodeon and Amazon’s Audible) and Frozen: Forces of Nature (Disney Animation Worldwide and ABC Audio) among them.